Paleo Zesty Ranch Trail Mix

This easy to make Paleo Zesty Ranch Trail Mix is perfect for all sorts of healthy snacking! I like to meal prep it to have on hand for grab and go snacks throughout the work week. But it’s also great for hiking or road trips as well. It’s naturally gluten free, dairy free and nutrient dense. It’s also healthier than the usual ranch mix since you make a simple seasoning mix of your own.

When I did a poll over on Insta Stories to see whether I should make a honey mustard or a ranch trail mix, honey mustard ended up winning. But it won by just the narrowest of margins. So I felt like I really needed to make a ranch version as well.

Ranch flavors turned out to be challenging to make paleo, because without the buttermilk powder, it didn’t taste as ‘ranchy’. Not a very technical term, but I guess I was surprised by how critical buttermilk powder seemed to be. But in the end I was able to amp up the rest of the flavors to make a paleo ranch I was still excited about/ proud of.

Having made lots of batches of both flavors, you would think I’d have a favorite by now. But I really don’t, they’re both good, and I like to make both flavors so I can go back and forth.

It ended up being great that I needed to make 2 flavors because I love variety, and everyone gets the flavor they voted for. And speaking of recipe voting, please always feel free to make requests, and let me know what you’d like to see here on the blog.

Now let’s make this Paleo Zesty Ranch Trail Mix step by step!

First up you mix together all the spices called for. The first few batches I did, I added dried chives since they’re pretty standard in ranch mixes. But since I figured dried chives might not be a staple spice, I tried it without them.

And here’s the thing… I honestly couldn’t tell the difference. So I left them as an option in the recipe just in case you want to be extra authentic.

Then to make sure the spices stick to the trail mix, I added just a touch of avocado oil and maple syrup. A little bit of sweetness really makes all the flavors stand out as well.

Finally you mix it all together until everything is evenly coated.

The baking time is long because it’s important to cook this trail mix low and slow.

By cooking it slowly, everything turns out perfectly crispy, and the ranch flavor is way more intense at a low temperature.

And finally after the baking time is done, I always leave my snack mix in the oven with the heat turned off for a final crisping. Once the trail mix is completely cooled, I like to store mine in mason jars on the counter. So far it’s never lasted past 3 weeks, but I’m sure you could keep it longer in a sealed container in the freezer.

More healthy snack recipes!

• Paleo Honey Mustard Trail Mix
• Paleo Rosemary Sea Salt Crackers
• Chocolate Chip Cookie Energy Bites
• Coconut Chia Pudding Jars
• 3 Quick & Easy Apple Slice Snacks

I’ve been packing it into mini mason jars each week as part of my meal prepping. That way I have individual portions all ready to grab-and-go. And we’ve taken this trail mix on countless hikes now and it’s always a treat.

I really hope you enjoy this healthy trail mix! And if you do get a chance to make this, I hope you’ll leave me a comment/rating below. I always love hearing from you here! Also for more pizza inspired recipes, head over to the recipe index.

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